Trachelas, L. Koch, 1872

Key to the continental Afrotropical species of Trachelas View in CoL

1. Males.............................................................................................. 2

- Females............................................................................................ 10

2. Embolus (EM) forming distinct coil or loop along its path..................................................... 3

- EM not forming coil or loop but gradually curving and tapering towards tip and bending towards prolateral side of palp ( Fig. 14E, F View FIGURE 14 )............................................................................ T. longinquus sp. nov.

3. EM long, forming open coil with slender distal section........................................................ 4

- EM short, forming compact coil, distal section compact or sharp but not slender................................... 7

4. EM forming two distinct loops along its path, tip blunt and situated along retrolateral side of cymbium (CY); palp with rounded retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA, Fig. 17C, D View FIGURE 17 ).............................................. T. scutatus sp. nov.

- EM with only single loop along its path, tip sharp and positioned along ventral side of CY; palp without rounded RTA..... 5

5. Tegulum (TE) almost parallel-sided, broad distally, EM base almost as broad as TE ( Fig. 13A View FIGURE 13 ); EM with sharp retrolateral bend to long slender distal section, with tip directed at 11 o’clock; patellar apophysis (PA) finger-shaped in ventral view ( Fig. 13A, B View FIGURE 13 ).................................................................................... T. humus sp. nov.

- TE somewhat pear-shaped, narrowed distally, EM base clearly narrower, approximately half the width of TE ( Figs 8A View FIGURE 8 , 15A View FIGURE 15 ); EM with gradual looping bend, with tip directed at 1 o’clock; PA triangular or compact in ventral view ( Figs 5E View FIGURE 5 , 8A View FIGURE 8 , 15A View FIGURE 15 ).. ................................................................................................... 6

6. EM almost as long as TE in ventral view, with long slender distal section; PA triangular in ventral view, with broad base almost extending entire length of patella ( Figs 5B, C, E View FIGURE 5 , 8A, B View FIGURE 8 )............................................ T. canariensis View in CoL

- EM about half the length of TE in ventral view, with thicker distal section; PA compact in ventral view, placed distally on patella ( Fig. 15A, B View FIGURE 15 ).................................................................................. T. pusillus View in CoL

7. EM curving along longitudinal axis of palp, roughly inverted 6-shaped in lateral view; sperm duct S-shaped, with strong proximal and distal bends ( Figs 10A View FIGURE 10 , 19A View FIGURE 19 )................................................................. 8

- EM compact, curving along transverse axis of palp, with short stout tip directed distally; sperm duct only with strong proximal bend, U-shaped or forming proximal loop, gradually curving in distal section ( Figs 11A View FIGURE 11 , 14A View FIGURE 14 )........................ 9

8. EM narrow in ventral view, with blunt tip in lateral view ( Fig. 10A, B View FIGURE 10 ).................................... T. chubbi View in CoL

- EM broad in ventral view, with sharp pointed tip in lateral view ( Fig. 19A, B View FIGURE 19 )............................... T. sylvae View in CoL

9. Proximal section of sperm duct forming broad U-shaped bend in ventral view; proximal section of EM orientated slightly retrodistally; PA positioned near middle of patella ( Fig. 14A, B View FIGURE 14 ).................................... T. leggi sp. nov.

- Proximal section of sperm duct forming closed loop; proximal section of EM orientated slightly retroproximally; PA positioned distally on patella ( Fig. 11A, B View FIGURE 11 )............................................................. T. falsus sp. nov.

10. Epigyne (EP) with distinct circular or oval atria (AT) with strongly sclerotized rims, with copulatory openings (CO) within their margins............................................................................................ 11

- EP with simple curved ridges leading to CO............................................................... 15

11. AT large, occupying almost 2/3 length of epigynal plate ( Fig. 19C View FIGURE 19 )........................................ T. sylvae View in CoL

- AT smaller, occupying at most 1/2 length of epigynal plate ( Figs 10C View FIGURE 10 , 11C View FIGURE 11 , 13C View FIGURE 13 , 18A View FIGURE 18 )............................. 12

12. AT round, as wide as long, with CO along anterior margin ( Fig. 10C View FIGURE 10 ); copulatory ducts (CD) looping laterally, anteriorly, then mesally before entering transversely orientated secondary spermathecae (ST II) ( Fig. 10D View FIGURE 10 ).................... T. chubbi View in CoL

- AT oval, clearly longer than wide, with CO along posterior margin; CD and ST II variable, but ST II not transversely orientated.......................................................................................... 13

13. CD initially broad, narrowing rapidly; ST II lollipop-shaped; ST I pear-shaped, transversely orientated, almost twice as long as broad ( Fig. 13C, D View FIGURE 13 )...................................................................... T. humus sp. nov.

- CD initially narrow, parallel-sided along their length; ST II round or bilobed; ST I pentagonal or ovoid, very slightly wider than long ( Figs 11C, D View FIGURE 11 , 18C, D View FIGURE 18 )............................................................................ 14

14. ST II round; connecting ducts (Cd) very narrow, with almost perpendicular bend and loop before entering pentagonal ST I ( Fig. 11C, D View FIGURE 11 )................................................................................ T. falsus sp. nov.

- ST II clearly bilobed; Cd broad, thickened and looping dorsally before making sharp bend that enters ST I ( Fig. 18C, D View FIGURE 18 ).......................................................................................... T. smithi sp. nov.

15. Sclerotized ridges (SR) of CO small, recurved, along midline of epigyne, with narrow CD initially directed anteriorly; copulatory ducts forming complete loop laterally before entering longitudinally oval ST II ( Fig. 17E–G View FIGURE 17 ); abdomen with dorsal scutum...................................................................................... T. scutatus sp. nov.

- SR of CO clearly separated, directed mesally ( Figs 5F View FIGURE 5 , 8C View FIGURE 8 , 14C View FIGURE 14 , 15C View FIGURE 15 , 17A View FIGURE 17 ); copulatory ducts funnel-shaped or spiralling, initially directed mesally then anteriorly before entering round ST II ( Figs 8D View FIGURE 8 , 14D View FIGURE 14 , 15D View FIGURE 15 , 17B View FIGURE 17 ); abdomen without dorsal scutum............................................................................................. 16

16. ST II positioned anterolaterally in epigyne, in same plane as CD.............................. T. russellsmithi sp. nov.

- ST II positioned laterally near midpoint of epigyne, clearly posterior to CD...................................... 17

17. CD directed anteriorly then bending posterolaterally before looping to ST II; Cd forming complete loop between ST II before diverging to enter transversely oval ST I, close to epigastric furrow ( Fig. 8C, D View FIGURE 8 )......................... T. canariensis View in CoL

- CD spiralling, initially directed mesally then anteriorly before bending back to enter ST II; Cd thickened posterior to ST II, looping laterally and forming short channel that enters ST I.................................................. 18

18. SR of CO relatively large and more than 1/2 the diameter of ST II, separated by slightly more than 2× their diameter ( Fig. 14C View FIGURE 14 )................................................................................... T. leggi sp. nov.

- SR of CO small and almost 1/3 the diameter of ST II, separated by approximately 3× their diameter ( Fig. 15C View FIGURE 15 ).... T. pusillus View in CoL